1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to orthotic devices for providing support and/or therapeutic treatment to body parts, such as alleviating symptoms of osteoarthritis and other joint dysfunctions. More particularly, the present invention relates to an adjustable orthotic device, such as an adjustable knee brace for an osteoarthritic knee joint.
2. Description of the Related Art
Osteoarthritis, also known as degenerative joint disease, is the most common form of arthritis. It is believed that the disease results from a combination of genetic abnormalities and joint injuries. An affected joint progressively loses cartilage, and as a result, the tissue that lines the joint can become inflamed, the ligaments can loosen, and the associated muscles can weaken. Especially vulnerable are knee joints, where sufferers experience pain, stiffness and swelling, and become unable to perform basic life functions such as walking.
Osteoarthritis can be treated with prescription drugs, homeopathic remedies, total joint replacements, and braces. A patient suffering from osteoarthritis in the knee can be fitted with a knee brace whereby support is provided to allow reasonable ambulatory activity without undue risk of injury. Knee bracing does not cure osteoarthritis, but there are indications that the severity of the symptoms may be reduced by bracing because physical forces upon the joint are reduced.
Knee braces are frequently fitted to the exact measurements of the patient, and a properly adjusted brace can accommodate the shape, size, and angle between the femur and the tibia for maximum comfort. However, custom fit knee braces are expensive because each one must be custom manufactured to order.
In order to bring the advantages of the knee brace, namely the non-invasive treatment of osteoarthritis, to a broader spectrum of individuals, knee braces manufactured from common i.e. universal components have been developed. However, these knee braces typically cannot properly accommodate each and every different leg configuration.
Due to this problem in the art, a number of adjustable knee braces have been developed. Among the changes an osteo-arthritic knee undergoes is that the body tries to compensate for the degenerative joint and migrate laterally or outwardly, or it may migrate inwardly or medially, with the former condition often referred to as “bowlegged” and the latter referred to as “knock-kneed.” When either event occurs, the leg experiences a corresponding curvature, and the wearer continues to suffer pain and discomfort. In order to accommodate such a leg configuration, knee braces angularly adjustable to overcome leg curvature have been developed.
However, other parameters for adjustment have not been possible in such prior knee braces. Accordingly, a primary object of the present invention is to provide a knee brace for the treatment of osteoarthritis that is capable of accommodating a wide variety of leg widths. Another object of the present invention is to provide a knee brace capable of both width adjustment and angular adjustment for maximum comfort of the wearer. Still another object of the present invention is to provide a knee brace that is easily adjustable by the wearer or healthcare professionals. Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an adjustable knee brace that can be constructed of common, universal components so as to simplify the initial fitting as well as subsequent repairs.